Jesus Teaches Fruit

December 20-22, 2013 - Jesus Teaches Fruit – Manna by Dorothy Callies

Matthew 7:16a “Ye shall know them by their fruits” (KJV)”

Here Jesus teaches about fruit in people’s lives. “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are really wolves that will tear you apart. You can detect (identify) them by the way they act, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit. You don’t pick grapes from the thornbushes, or figs from thistles. A healthy tree produces good fruit, and an unhealthy tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire” (Matt.7:15-19 NLT).

Matthew 7:15 - False prophets were common in Old Testament times. They prophesied only what the king and the people wanted to hear, claiming it was God’s message. False teachers are just as common today. Jesus says to beware of those words sound religious but who are motivated by money, fame, or power. You can tell who they are because in their teaching they minimize (reduce or make it smaller) Christ and glorify themselves.

When Jesus talks about the bad trees, he means teachers who deliberately teach false doctrine. We would need to examine the teacher’s motives, the direction they are taking, and the results they are seeking.

Jesus said, “Yes, the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced” (Matt.7:20 NLT).  Jesus reminds us that our speech and actions reveal the true underlying, (what is hidden inside of our hearts are) beliefs, attitudes, and motivations. The good impressions we try to make cannot last if our heart is deceptive (deceive). What is in your heart will come out in your speech and behavior. [Some of the above notes came from Quick Verse Life Application Bible]

So let’s have a true heart for the Lord Jesus Christ!

Prayer Song: Keep Me True, Lord Jesus

Keep me true, Lord Jesus, keep me true;

Keep me true, Lord Jesus, keep me true;

There’s a race that I must run,

There are victories to be won.

Give me power, every hour, to be true.

(Inspiring Choruses)